Jo Koy exchanges laughs for Red Sox and lobster

Jo Koy is excited to come back to Boston, and the comedy crowds he’ll bring together are only part of the reason.

While he’s set to unleash his Break the Mold world tour at The Wilbur Theatre this weekend (April 27 and 28) for four shows — three of which are sold out, as of press time — the Washington state native is looking forward to indulging in a bit of New England-specific fixtures.

“I’m not gonna lie, the lobster is big deal for me when I get to travel to Boston,” Koy tells Vanyaland. “I’m also hoping to God that the Red Sox are playing while I’m there, because I’d love to catch another game [Editor’s note: they are]. There’s just so much to do around the city, and just getting out and walking around is a big thing for me when I’m there. There are some places that you kind of have to search for things to do, but Boston is one of those cities where you get to just walk around and experience what’s around you.”

While he may have his heart set on digging into some regional delicacy, the fact that most of his shows have sold out here makes the trip even more exciting for the comedy veteran.

“I love the feeling of seeing my shows sell out,” says Koy. “There’s nothing better than knowing, months in advance, that a venue sold out my show, because there’s this major feeling of relief, because I don’t have to worry about promoting the shows as much, and I just get to go into the city and make sure that those people laugh that night.”

A 29-year veteran of the comedy game, Koy is still grinding to raise the bar for himself any chance he gets. Following the popularity he garnered following his third special, Live from Seattle (a special he considers his “baby,” as he wrote, directed and sold it to Netflix himself) he knew he has to bring the heat with his new hour of material, and he’s pretty confident that he’s achieved that goal.

“I set the bar really high for myself following Live from Seattle, so now I have to jump over that bar, and that’s what this new hour is all about,” he adds. “That material in the Netflix special was funny, but this new stuff is way funnier, and I want to make sure my fans enjoy it.”

Making people laugh is always the mission for a stand-up comedian when he or she sets off on a tour, obviously. But Koy is looking to bring it a step further, and use his time on stages around the globe to encourage his fans, and himself in turn, to rise above the norm, and to let people know that they’re goals are not impossible to reach.

“You have to get away from just doing the regular things that you do, you have to break the mold,” stresses Koy. “Set those goals, and follow those dreams. That’s the real message I’m pushing with this new tour.”

Even with his acting career gaining traction (set for a 2019 release, a live-action re-telling of Anastasia features Koy playing the role of Vladimir Lenin), and the popularity of his podcast, The Koy Pond, and the love he has for the many opportunities those mediums have afforded him over the years, Koy is still all in when it comes to stand-up comedy, and he loves what the scene has evolved into over the course of his career.

“There are a lot of great comics doing great things on the road right now and I just love that,” he says. “The more, the merrier! I absolutely love stand-up, and I’m gonna do it until the day I die.”